Would they be able to make certain judgements as to which boxers would be superior to others H2H. Its just that many assumptions on old time boxers are taken from the written word and testimonies, so why cant they be today. Or was writing better in the old days like the boxers?
Writing was better and most writers back in the day actually had something to do with boxing in some fashion. Now you have guys like Dan Rafael fats ass who has never got in a ring and learned anything.
Interesting point you've brought up which could also be discussed in a sport journalism class. I would like to believe writing today (theoretically) should be more accurate, simply put: They can rewatch a fight over and over because technology has given them youtube, HD footage, detailed stats etc etc. Whereas back in the old days most would sit ringside jotting down notes as they watched the fight, then would go back to the office and type the story. The other way would be to listen to the radio and rely off the accuracy of the radio announcer. Even if they did rewatch footage, the quality is no where near as clear as it is today. For example it's now easier to see bruieses and the sound quality enables us to hear quite clearly the 'thud' when a punch connects. Also a fight can be interpreted differently according to where you are seated, or the positioning of the camera angles on TV. This brings 2 questions, which could be an advangtage for today or an advantage of yesteryear: 1. The longer the time between watching the fight and writing their thoughts, the less reliable their memory. Events can be distorted. 2. Nowadays with the saturisation of immediate communication, ideas can be influenced from other writers and opinions. Alot of writers will take notes, rewatch a fight off a video, and sometimes look for other opinions in case they missed something. Personally I think the longer a fighter has been retired, the more we exaggerate their strengths and weaknesses. We also have the luxury of hindsight with retired boxers. To anwser your question we still do go off the written word. Unless you are being paid who has the time and resources to watch every single fight for all the top fighters? Ultimately writing today of a boxers superiority is just as valid as going off the writings of yesteryear.
